Everton could only huff and puff after early loss of Dewsbury-Hall

Agree with the line-up and feel with Caicedo out we have a chance. Great to end the hoodoo here.

Not being ambivalent but I applaud keeping Ndiaye for his last game as he has the skills that could be important today. At least only one keeper on the bench, but scant consolation.

Yes, that's a very negative comment but the record at Stamford Bridge is abysmal and, whilst we have gotten some results lately, we are still lacking a lot to compete with the likes of Chelsea.

It will be a backs-to-the-wall set-up by Moyes which doesn't give me any confidence despite the result at Man Utd.

He's gotta share Kansas City with a pretty ugly pair of fat Gunners fans. Scary!

He is like a long-haired Pepe.

Barry does fuck-all.

All teams can double or triple up on Jack and Illi, cos there is no need to watch Mykolenko and O'Brien.

Top priority in January, alongside the sack of coal we have up front

You work in Kansas City? What the fuck.

Barry is garbage.

I really wanted Alcaraz to come good for us but he just does these utterly stupid things.

Missing Dewsbury-Hall. Call out for Gana who didn't track the runner for both goals.

Hasn't been a 2-0 on balance. They're clinical; we're wasteful.

We've also tried to play out from the back and at times it looks as though we have no midfield as the defence playing out don't seem to find anyone and Ndiaye and Grealish don't seem to come for the ball but, with Gana playing and Dewsbury-Hall off, we tend to look a bit disjointed.

And another first-class display of inept refereeing missing some obvious fouls and also looking like a bit of a homer.

As we could have scored a couple ourselves, the game isn't over but you wouldn't put your last on it.

In fact, there could've been another couple due to his inability to smell danger.

Asleep for Cole's run for the first goal and shrugged aside by Neto for the second. He is completely average in every aspect of the fullback position -- defensive positioning, awareness, tracking runners. His offensive threat is non-existent.

Our primary weakness has been evident for everyone to see for the last few seasons: we've needed two full-backs and a striker. Not addressing it is costing goals at both ends, as is evident again today.

O'Brien is not much better than Mykolenko and could've cost us a couple of goals as well, and the least said about Barry, the better. Other than that, we've performed reasonably, even without the in-form Dewsbury-Hall.🙄

Keep Dewsbury-Hall at No 8 where he excelled in Gueye's absence. He is a massive loss now, after doing his hamstring.

Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall, two of our best players now missing over Christmas.

We get all excited and optimistic. The life of an Evertonian.

Not too sure the midfield was improved by Gana's return but we certainly missed Dewsbury-Hall and a top class sniffer if not outright striker. Interesting to see what we do when the African Cup of Nations is on.

Barry is shocking -- whoever scouted him needs sacking, and I thought Gana and Keane were poor today.

Gather the biggest selling item are Patriot Shirts as everyone jumps off the Mahomes/Kelce bandwagon and back onto New England one.

lol all the locals are in mourning at present

Glad he isn't still in our team -- he'd have put his shirt over his head, thrown the towel in after 10 minutes and made sure it was a 0-6 loss.

Not sure how he qualifies as someone to bring insight into analysis after his largely unsuccessful career.

Ndiaye terrific throughout, Jack really should have had a goal, a little bit disappointed with him today. Not a bad little cameo from Dibling, he's still got his confidence, I think we'll see a lot more of him in the next few weeks.

Having said that, hoofing it up to Barry or Beto isn't going produce much more.

Onwards and upwards, hope we have a good go v Arsenal next week, then take 6 points v Burnley and Forest. 🤞

Not our best performance marred by the injury to Dewsbury-Hall; however, despite some average performances, we held our own despite never looking like winning.

Our team spirit is good and we are fighting, for each other as well as individually. There were some good battles out there and I am quite pleased with our overall progress this Season.

Let's see where we are after the Africa thing.

Square pegs in round holes just won't cut it now in this league anymore!

Time to spend some dosh in January, methinks... big time!

Who, out of that Chelsea team, would not have got into our team today?

And who, out of our team, would have got into theirs?

(My answer to both fwiw is none)

In the end, unless you have a genius manager with a brilliant strategy, quality all over the park will win the contest.

Having Barry up front is like playing with 10 men. A lamppost would have done better.

Gana at fault for both goals and Keane was slow to react for the first.

With better finishing, it's a game we could have got something out of.

Can we please address this in January and not dither. We know where the weaknesses are.

The NBC commentator said there was not enough in it!

Beto needs to be sold for what we can get and Barry loaned with an eye to get a bit of money back. They are obvious mistakes and all we can do is mitigate the situation.

Our recruitment team inspires zero confidence. Let's hope Dibling isn't another catastrophic mistake.

Chelsea had greater movement all over the park. I didn't think we played that badly but just lacked quality.

Their right back moves inside, waltzes by Barry and passes to Palmer to slot home. The same guy hits us on the counter and scores the 2nd.

Our right-back was hesitant to go on any overlaps and, when he did, he didn't have the quality to play the pass.

Gana drills the ball across the 6-yard box and the ball nicks off the goalie and through our striker's legs, not a quality issue, more of a timing issue, as any half-decent striker converts that.

Grealish has 2 good chances and couldn't take either in front of Tuchel.

Garner my MotM by a long way must have impressed the England manager.

We had chances, again, but failed to take them and we were badly let down in defence for those two Chelsea goals.

Amazingly we could have stolen a draw late in the game when Mykolenko did well lining up a decent chance for Charly Alcaraz who was denied by a great block.

Also, Ndiaye, who could have had a penalty in the first half, did brilliantly with a lovely dribble and shot that hit the inside of the post. He continues to fight all over the field for the ball and got little help from the referee with the stick he took off that Chelsea full back.

Beaten today by a better team but not outclassed and we will do better than this when we get a bigger and stronger squad, hopefully starting in January and then February when Gana and Ndiaye come back.

Yes, James Garner a big favourite of mine, another game where he never stops working and taking responsibility for attacking and defending, a real team player.

I made Ndiaye my MotM but wouldn't begrudge James Garner if he got it.

Can we have Jarrad back for Christmas?

I promise I'll be good.

Not great management?

Already a doubt for Arsenal!!!

I watched on delayed replay, 7 am my time on Sunday, and saw Dewsbury-Hall giving his hammies a good rub 30 seconds before the kick-off. I think it was a known problem of the 'give it a run and see how it goes / how long you last' type.

Our bench is not well stocked with big time game changers... even less now due to Afcon. Once Dewsbury-Hall went off and they scored, I went to the 8 minutes highlights. It could've been a lot worse... on a really bad day, 4, 5, 6 worse.

We're in a 5th to 13th very close mini league, wins and losses will have you yo-yoing up and down. Right back and No 9 have been a problem for ages, now the midfield is looking a bit thin.

But we can't bring anybody in until 1 January, everybody baring (further) injury setbacks (hopefully) will be back by mid-January anyway... and I'm not even bothering to think about Röhl.

An inspired midfield signing who can hit the ground running (without pulling a hammy) notwithstanding, it's going to be a hard, backs-to-the-wall, 4 to 6 weeks.

Given the circumstances beyond Moyes's control -- and if you discount the decision to let Dewsbury-Hall ''Give it a run and see how it goes'.

Some might say it's a no pressure, made for Moyes situation.

Yeah, it's a weird season, as you say, with the 5th to 13th mid-table plateau -- though I'd say you could probably expand it to a 3rd to 16th.

Hopefully we weather the storm of Afcon and injuries so, come February, we are still in the mix for the higher end of the range.

Players get injured from nowhere, and are out. Rohl, Branthwaite, McNeil was always injured when he was good, Calvert-Lewin was always out, and it always seems to be when they get good.

Remember Ndiaye, flying last year, then 'Oh, he's out now for 3 months'. You can say injuries happen to all teams, but I'd love to see a comparison between ourselves and Liverpool. Their players never seem to get injured. they just bounce on from game to game. Like tanks.

I'd like a big splurge too -- but I doubt we've got the cash.

Kent Walton could have commentated that game.

I heard the other one was injured, Derek #5... splinters in his arse.

That will be a real disappointment -- he started and played 85 minutes for Preston today as they won at Oxford and climbed to third in the Championship, and that kind of experience is absolutely priceless for the kid.

But we gotta do what we gotta do.

I actually felt sorry for David Moyes as the first 20 minutes showed the work he had done on the training pitch.

Once Gueye and Mykolenko failed to track Cole's run for the first goal, we lost our shape. It was embarrassing to see Mykolenko muscled off the ball by Neto for the second.

TFG, sign at least one full-back in January. Otherwise, you are making it next to impossible for the manager to do his job.

No one admitted to it but Glasgow Rangers said Patterson was entirely sought and bought by Kenwright. Fucking genius probably thought he could let the ghost of his mother's soul rest after selling Rooney by unearthing the gem Patterson…

The thing that really pissed me off about that deal was Rangers rebuffed our initial offer with the RS Stevie G publicly stating we'd have to pay twice as much to lure a sub for a team in a sub-par league and of course Kenshite took the bait.

As for Mykolenko, he avoided scrutiny because he got the sympathy vote given his nation was being invaded at the time he signed. But surely now, years later, some kind of clear-minded non-sentimental focus has to be had where we say “Okay, nice guy, but not good enough.”

Reminds me of when we spent a lot of money for the era thinking Neil McDonald could replace Gary Stevens. Frankly I'd beg Steve Watson and Terry Phelam to come out of retirement in their 50s as mediocre recentish full-backs to replace these two guys.

Moyes's January wishlist consists of James Ward-Prowse, Michail Antonio and some 15-year-old Greek or Icelandic wonder kid he will never give the time of day to but will banish to the Under-21s and send running down pointless channels until he goes insane, goes off the rails, and becomes a heroin addict or a porn star.

Watching 8 minutes of highlights might have given the impression of a 4-, 5- or 6-goal game to Chelsea but over the full 90 minutes, we created lots of chances but lacked quality. Using your logic, the game could have finished 6-4.

Steve 56. Gusto’sgoal and assist — who should have been picking him up? It's easy blaming Gana or Mykolenko for not tracking a runner but sometimes the opposition’s formation and tactics win games over ours. Gusto playing inside all game added to their midfield numbers and made the difference.

Mykolenko’s contract is up in the summer, should we renew it? The lad defends quite well but offers nothing going forward.

No it's not just you mate, that Cucarella is one odious twat.

The whingeing out of him and histrionics are so annoying, I actually thought he was reffing the game.

Apart from the whole of the Liverpool squad, there's not a footballer despise more… wel,l maybe Fernandes of Man Utd.

"Bringing in these two young players with energy, they can go forward and attack, is key for the future of the club."

Rafa B.

Football can be a cruel game, and sometimes despite your effort, you don't get rewarded. They scored 2 goals, the 2nd just before half time was against the run of play, even the commentator said Everton wont want this half to end; minutes later, they scored their 2nd.

Losing Dewsbury-Hall was a big miss and so early in the game. Alcaraz, who isn't in the same class as Dewsbury-Hall, nearly gave a goal away with a negative backpass.

We put in a decent performance and a striker worth the name would bury the chance Gana laid on. At 1-0 it could have changed the game. Also, Grealish should have scored as well as Alcaraz in the 2nd half.

Ndiaye miskicked when he had a chance to score. So to create so many chances with our main goal scoring midfield player missing says a lot about this team.

I am sure Moyes will be massively disappointed in Barry and Beto as neither are anywhere good enough.

I watched MotD and there was no mention of Everton from Chapman or Shearer or Murphy, I mean there was only a couple of games so hardly pushed for time, but spent more time talking about what Maresca said in the press conference.

And I am heartilly sick of turning on Sky and hearing about the Salah saga thank heavens he is off to the AFCON for 5 weeks.

I don't know what side Moyes will be able to put out next Saturday against the league leaders. Gana and Ndiaye are off to the Afcon, Dewsbury-Hall out with a hamstring injury.

Moyes said after the game Grealish felt a twinge in his hamstring so we may be down to the bare bones for Arsenal.

Will be a real makeshift midfield next week, McNeil, Dibling, Alcaraz, Iroegbunam all playing, with no subs bench to speak of.

Going to be a tough Xmas period I fancy. Squad too thin, with Afcon looming.

I always think that if wind is the enemy of football, then denying players space is the enemy for most football teams!!

We were also denied Dewsbury-Hall making the runs into the box which he makes on a regular basis, and as good a player as James Garner is, he doesnt have the pace to get beyond our strikers like Dewsbury-Hall.

Their chances largely came from the extra pace they have, and also I agree with Tony about finding space and Palmer finds space even in our box a really class act.

No mention of potential penalty or Referee's terrible performance.

We had some moments, but we lack quality in areas we are all too fully aware of.

It is suggested we have a bit of money to spend in January. I pray the transfer committee have been working hard behind the scenes to draw up the right targets for 1 January.

Right-back has been an issue for a couple of seasons now, yet we sign a #9 who can't score goals. What kind of manager would allow this to happen? Unless Moyes has no say in who comes in or who goes out.

Every manager is aware of Everton's weakness on either left or right full backs but nothing was given in prioritizing to strengthen these positions except for signing a #9 who cant score and a right winger to sit on the bench.

I am fed up listening to the same excuses after a loss or draw. Moyes does well with what he has, but he is still the one at fault for not strengthening the positions that were most needed.

Yesterday was a prime example where Chelsea exploited our weaknesses and we once again wasted chances that an average #9 would score from, and now we have to wait for another transfer window to open to try and fill problem positions that should have been resolved.

The season's gone, and why is it we don't have young players on the bench ready to step in? Or are the ones we have all loaned out, learning how to play football?

I can see why Moyes stayed with the 4-2-3-1 and kept the same XI as much as possible. That stability was needed to establish the defence assignments and relationships in possession. That stability has allowed us to get out of our half and actually play football.

Getting players into support positions so that the double on Grealish or Ndiaye allows a run through from either the holding midfielder or fulll-back or Dewsbury-Hall was very useful. That only works once Gana or Garner (less so) learn when to break. Dewsbury-Hall has it in him already.

Alright, so you need that but, when starters are fading or the game is largely a conceded result, you have to get players in that will be future subs.

Moyes has found a rotation that seems to work. We finished the match with considerable effort and production. That was no small thing.

However, he knew Afcon was coming. Now, he has recreated the problem he solved with players he trusts. The ones coming into the side will not have established any familiarity with what their positional partners will do in various situations.

Prepare for some disjointed and retrograde performances. The players coming in lack confidence and system faith. This is a level of problems Dyche never progressed to, but it still shows a lack of trusting a wider squad by Moyes.

Both fullback positions are a joke. And 2 awful strikers up top.
January isn't the month to address these issues as it's a hard month to sign players. Tosun was a January signing and look how garbage he was.

You neglect to mention that we also signed a midfielder who already looks like our player of the season, and a left-winger who has massively boosted our attacking play.

We also tied down Branthwaite, Pickford and Tarkowski to longer term deals. We'll find out about how good Dibling is in the next few weeks.

So no, there was no dereliction of duty in the summer by Moyes and Co, but there is more work to be done, as he told us there would be. Facts.

That said, you could see some elementary differences in quality. They have two full-backs who know how to attack which adds a threat we simply don't offer. They also have extreme pace up front out wide. If we had a bit of both those attributes, we might be better at creating chances.

I worry about the festive season, a wafer-thin squad exposed further by Afcon and injuries will force selection of players Moyes clearly doesn't trust. There remains a huge amount to fix but I don't expect that to happen in January.

I believe Röhl will be available after the Arsenal game but I am concerned that Grealish is rumoured to be injured.

I agree it would be a shame to call Harrison Armstrong back but I think he is as good as most of our midfield players and it would be better than buying another midfielder like Connor Gallagher.

The only area that didn't need looking at was central defence, and that was only because we retained Keane. The club was also sold so there was a temporary Board for a while, we moved into a new stadium, and changed managers mid-season. Not exactly quiet.

So yes, I will excuse our management team from not executing a complete squad rebuild during the summer.

Credit to them though, they didn't fold and kept going to the final whistle. I think we are probably a mid-table team at this stage.

Stating the obvious but we definitely need to strengthen the full back positions as soon as we can.

If Grealish is out against Arsenal as well as Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye we will be faced with a mountain to climb.

Bill is absolutely spot on. Grealish is nice to have but we needed a proper striker and a right-back far more and time and time again this has been behind so many of our 'issues' this season.

Or perhaps you're satisfied with a woeful striker who has scored one in 16 and after the hope of the last weekend, which I shared, he was utter shite yesterday.

“faced with a mountain climb”

Has my post been edited because I don't think I used that expression?

No, your post has not been edited. The last words you (or someone with access to your ToffeeWeb account) posted were: we will be faced with a mountain to climb.

Why disown them anyway? Perfectly on piste, in my humble opinion.